Vibrating mill



1944- M. F. MORGAN 7 2,365,897

VIBRATING' MILL Filed Sept. 11, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. N/l TON F/VOEGAN A Z'TOENEYS Dec. 26, 1944. 'M. F. MORGAN VIBRATING MILL Filed Sept. 11, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INV EN TOR. M/Z 7'0/V F- NO/PGAN A r ram/5Y5 Patented Dec. 26, 1944 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VIBRATING BULL Milton F. Morgan, Shaker Heights, Ohio H I Application September 11, 1943, Serial No. 502,054 I 6 Claims.

rapid and necessitated frequent replacement of the worn blades. Also the efficiency of the mixer decreased rapidly as the blades wore down.

By the present invention I am able to avoid the'previous rapid rate of wear of mixing blades and thereby to prolong the length of life of such blades and decrease their maintenance costs, to mix the same or similar materialswith much less consumption of power than has been required heretofore, and to maintain the efficiency of the mixer at a much higher'standard than has been done heretofore. I am also able to mix dry materials with high efficiency.

The prior log washers, that is, machines generally resembling pug mills but used to separate two solids in the presence of a liquid, had shafts with long blades-and a long trough. The present invention makes it possible to provide a machine which is much smaller than, and yet has as great a capacity as, the prior art washers.

This inventionis predicated on the discovery that when the trough of a mixing machine is reciprocated endwise in short, quick strokes, materials therein may be mixed and moved therealong with exceptionally little wear on the mixing means and with a surprisingly low consumption of power and with high efiiciency. It is also predicated on the discovery that the separation of solids may be increased to an unexpected extent by combining agitation of" the materials and the reciprocation of the trough.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification, 1

Figure 1 is a top plan view of one form of apparatus embodying the present invention;

F gure 2 is a vertical view taken on line 2 -2 of Fig. 1;

Figures 3 and 4 are transverse sectional views Figure 6 shows a modified apparatus embody ing the present invention for separating soluble and insoluble materials. H

bottom l6, substantially parallel sides I1, and

may be closed {at one end [8. It is preferably pro- The mixer shown in the figures includes a frame consisting of side members I supported at their ends on pedestals 2 and 3. Pedestal 2 is provided with bearings '4 for mixing shafts about to be described. Pedestal 3 supports shafts 5,:6

and I in suitable bearings. Gearsli and 9 on shafts 5 and 6 serve to transmit rotary motion from shaft 5 to shaft 6, and meshing gears l0 and I I on' shafts 6 and'l'res'pectively transmit motion from shaft 6 to shaft 1. Shafts 6 and I are'connected by couplings 12 to mixing shafts I3 whose oppositeends are rotatably mounted in bearings 4 on pedestal 5. These shafts l3 carry a plurality of mixing blades I4 withinthe mixing trough IS.

The mixing trough is elongated, has a curved vided with atop I9 having an inlet opening 20. One orn'ror'einlets 2| may be provided in top I9 for entry of liquid. ,At its discharge endtrough i5 is preferably open land is provided with a hopper 22 'to receive and direct mixed material discharged from the trough. r

The trough I5 is supported partly on springs 25 whichengage the bottom wall of the trough and which rest on posts 26. These springs per-.

r are shown as making an acute angle of about 15 vnth the bottom. of the trough I5, this angle may be considerably increased or. decreased, as deslred, to obtain the desired or preferred, amount and direction of reciprocating movement of the trough.

Such angularity may also be varied depending on.

the speed with which it is desirable to move the materials along .the' trough. and also depending on the nature '--of"the' materials in the trough, especially the extent'or nature of the adherence of those materials to the surfaces of the trough.

The sides I! of trough I5 are positioned relative to the side members I preferably by attaching rods 30 to'the outer sides. of walls I1 and extending the rods thru'enlarged holes in members I and mounting springs 2|.on the rods to press against the outer sides of member i. In

thismanner lateral movement of walls H. as well v as longitudinal movement of trough l5, may take place relative to side members I.

When it is desirable that the sides I! of the trough l be vibrated, as for example to break the adherence between the walls of the trough and materials in the trough, additional vibrators may be attached to one or both sides l1. These vibrators may be of any suitable construction so long as they are capable of rapidly reciprocating the sides I! in short. strokes.

Fig. 5 shows diagrammatically avibrator. which is suitable for use in carrying out the present invention. This vibrator comprises a housing 4.0 which is attached to the trough by connections 29 and carries a magnet 4|. Within the housing a plurality of resilient bars of magnetic material 42 are connected together at their ends and to the housing with their middle portions adjacent to the magnet. Space is provided in. which the middle portions of these bars may flex'with out. contacting. with the housing. or the. magnet. When. the magnet.- is. energized. with; pulsating, current,, the bars are alternately flexed toward the magnet and; then fiex' in the. opposite direction with. a rapidity comparable to that; of." the. fluctuation in. the. current; and with the result that the casing is. vibrated, as. well" as whatever is attached thereto. When the vibrator is mounted on springs, as shown. in Figs. 2' and 3', it. may reciprocate. with the trough.

The general. operation of. the above. described apparatus will be understood from the foregoing description by those skilled in the art, but when. that apparatus is employed to mix. moist clay or similar material with additional liquid, it may be operatedsubstantially as. follows:

When. power is applied to shaft. 5 and'the shafts I3 are'rotati'ng; and thevibrators 2'1 and 3'5 areenergized, the moist clay is introduced into" trough. l5 thru' opening 2.0. The: oppositely mov'-, ing' blades. 14; on the rotating shafts 13 cut and mix the moist clay and propel it toward the discharge end of the trough; Simultaneously, the trough is rapidly reciprocated on a line making a small acute angle with the center li'neofi the shafts; such reciprocation also serving to advance the mixture towardj the discharge end or' the trough; The. desired amount of additional liquid is introduced into the moist. claythru one or more of the pipes 21 and. is promptly and thoroughly mixed with the clay; When vibrators 35 are energized the side walls t? of the trough are also vibrated and the mixture is' prevented from adhering to those walls.

The conjoint rotation. of the mixing shafts" and reciprocation of the trough resultsin unexpected and unpredictably' low consumption of power as compared with prior mixing devices operating on the same materials and unexpected, unpredictable and greatly extended lengths of life of the mixing blades.

what;

It willbe understood that this. mmtidli' is" e;- limited to the. usev of twomixiirgr shafts: but. that? on the contrary, it may takevarious. cross-sec.-

ti'onal shapes depending: on; the number of: mix

When the side vibrators: 3 5 areemployed these advantages: are increased sometrough relative to the shaft, and. means. for re.-

illustrated, but that they may be inclined to. the:

horizontal and that the discharge end may be either higher or lower than the other end.

It will also be understood that dry solids may be mixed by the above described apparatus.

In Fig. 6 the apparatus of Figs. 1 to 4 has been modified slightly to adapt it to the separation of mixed solids in the presence of a liquid. The apparatus of Fig. 6 is like that of Fig. 2 except that the trough and shafts are inclined at a small angle to the horizontal and. the lower end of the trough is partl closed. by an end. wall whose upper edge is. preferably slightly below a horizontal plane passing thru the bottom wall of the trough at its higher end. When a mixture of solids, for example iron ore and clay, is charged into the trough and sufficient water is maintained in the trough to overflow the lower end wall, the blades on the shafts will break up the clay, dissolving parts of it, and the dissolved and floating clay particles will be carried out with the overflowing water. The. iron ore. thus freed. from the contaminating. clay will. travel toward the upper end. of the. trough. and will. be. discharged. at that end. more or less free from the clay- Having thus described the. invention. so that others skilled in the art. may be. able. to understand and practice, the same, I state that what I desire to secure by Letter Patent. is defined inwhat is claimed.

What is claimed is:

l. A machine of the. class described comprising an elongated trough, a. rotatable. shaft. therein and extending lengthwise thereof, blades, on. said shaft, yieldablemeansfor maintaining thetrough in operative position relative. to the shaft and permitting. limited, angular. movement of the ciprocating the trough. endwise and angularly relative. to the shaft within the limits permitted by said supporting means.

2. Aniachine. of the. class described comprising a. frame, an elongated troughv supported within. said. frame for limited endwise and angular movement relative thereto,. a. rotatable shaft in and extending lengthwisev of said trough, blades on; said shaft, and means for reciprocating the trough. endwise. and angularly relative to said frame and shaftin short rapid. strokes.

3.. A machine of the class-described comprising ;an elongated trough, a. rotatable shaft therein and extending lengthwise. thereof, blades; on. said shaft, a frame support for said. trough, spring means associated with the frame: and trough for permitting, limited, angular endwise movement of '1 the. trough relative. to.- the frame. andshaft,, and

means for reciprocating the trough. endwise of and. angularly relative; to said frame and. shaft.

4. Amachine ofv the class. described. comprising an elongated. trough, a rotatable: shaft. therein and extending. lengthwise. thereof,. blades on said shaft, a frame support. for said. trough, springmeans associated with. the frame. and trough. for

permitting limited, angular movement of: the

trough endwise relative to. the: frame, and a vibratorattached. to. the. trough at an acute angle thereto for vibratingly reciprocating the; trough endwise and angularly. relativeeto, saidv frame'and shaft.

5.. Amachineof. the. class described comprising a frame, an elongated trough. in. said. frame and;

comprising a bottom wall and side walls, are.- tatable shaft in and extending lengthwise of said: trough,- blades on saidl shaft, spring means resiliently supporting. the. bottom. wall: of said trough and permitting limited endwise; and. angular movement of the trough, vibrating means connected to the trough for vibratingly reciprocating the trough endwise and'angularly relative to said frame and shaft, and means for positioning the sides of the trough relative to the adjacent parts of said frame and for permitting limited endwise assess? 3 and permitting limited endwise and angular movement of the trough, vibrating means connected to the trough for reciprocating the trough endwise and angularly relative to the shaft and frame, means for positioning the sides of the trough relative to the adjacent parts of said frame for limited lateral movement of the sides of the trough relative to said shaft and frame, and vibrating means connected to a side wall of 10 the trough for vibratingly reciprocating the side wall in short rapid strokes laterally relative to said frame and shaft.

' MILTON F. MORGAN. 

